Practical Sylricnlture 117 



and mice do very little damage after the seeds have coin. 

 up. I mt birds, particularly the seed-eating sparrows, such 

 as the Held and song sparrow, will eat the seeds and will 

 al-o destroy the tender seedlings, while they Mill retain 

 the seed coat on the cotyledons. It is customary to coat 

 seeds of this kind with red lead mixed in water. This 

 <loe- not injure the seed. but destroys their attractiveness 

 for birds ami squirrels. A- soon a- the -red is sown, the 

 bed should be sprinkled lightly and then covered with 

 a light mulch. This i- best done by spreading burlap, or 

 rip of muslin, on the seed-bed and upon this placing 

 a mulch of leaves, or any material that will keep the 

 bed from drying out. Just as soon as the seedlings- 

 appear above the surface, this mulch must be removed 

 so as to give them light and air. 



Protecting the seedlings. During. the \\r<\ three or four 

 weeks, coniferous seedlings are very subject during damp 

 weather to a disease known as "damping ofT," which in a 

 very >hort time will cau.-e them to wilt and die. This 

 u-iially can be prevented by regulating the moi-ture and 

 by thoroughly ventilating the bed- after heavy rains and 

 during humid weather. Partial shade must be provided. 

 Thi> i.- heM and most economically done by making shade 

 n- four feet square from ordinary building lath. 

 These M-reen- an- -,, made as to produce half shade. Two 

 -trip- of lath are u-e<l a- CTOBB-pieoefl and upon them the 

 lath are nailed with spaces equal to their own width 

 between them. These lath screens are then placed on a 

 i'- by driving stake- at interval around the eduv of 

 tin- bed and about IS indie- out of the ground, joined by 

 board -trip- upon which th<--r lath BCreeOB are -upporte.l. 



